The overall objective of the MBRS SCORE Program at Spellman College is to significantly improve the research infrastructure and capabilities at the college by funding varied biomedical and behavioral research projects in Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Psychology. The specific goals and anticipated outcomes are: 1. To progress in completing the specific aims of each research project outlined in this application so that each project progresses to the point where 75% of their aims are accomplished by the end of their third year of funding; 2. To increase the numbers of faculty presentations at national scientific meetings to 3 over the 4 year period, thereby increasing the visibility of our researchers; 3. To increase the numbers of faculty publications in peer-reviewed journals or book chapters to 3 based upon the accomplished research; 4. To increased the number of faculty submitting proposals for extramural funding of research to 10, with at least one investigator submitting an R01 grant, by the end of the 4 year cycle. It is anticipated that the funding of faculty release time and full time research personnel in each project will give faculty who traditionally focused on student development, the opportunity to be more productive in their research and produce manuscripts for publication. It is expected that faculty will present results at national scientific meetings in which they may network with colleagues from other institutes and keep abreast of current methodology in their areas. The anticipated increase in productivity and national exposure will allow faculty to produce more competitive research proposals once SCORE funding has ended. In addition, with the funding of projects from Physics and Psychology, departments that have had little previous funding in biomedical or behavioral research will add to the research infrastructure at the College. The achievement of these goals will allow Spellman College to continue to play a leading role in supplying the nation with African American women biomedical and behavioral researchers.